Early morning,
Sun shining
Through the curtains,
I dreamt of California.
Warm air, bright light,
Tall redwood trees
Screening the forest floor
From the heat.
A river, fast and clear,
Water tumbling, noisily,
Through rocks
Out of Yosemite.
Mountain passes,
Blocked by snow.
Death Valley
Searing in the sun.
A home, back yard
Covered by decking,
A shaded place
To sit and talk.
A jigsaw, on a table,
Part finished,
Waiting for the final piece
That will never arrive…
Photos in the hall
Covering the walls.
Clean-cut college boy,
New wife, smiling,
Walking arm-in arm
Together.
Kids, grandkids,
Parents, grandparents,
People they gave life to
People they got life from.
Easy going,
Warm people,
Pieces of a puzzle
Still not finished.
Early morning,
Sun shining
Through the curtains,
I dreamt of California,
But I knew
It had changed,
It couldn’t be the same,
Without them there.
